University of Kentucky Men's Basketball - 6th edition

[TheBigLebowski]

Sorry - hit "reply" before I was done posting. A premature postulation.

If we beat Alabama at home on Tuesday, we win the SEC reg season title...I would be ecstatic about that, considering this team lost early season games to juggernauts like UCF and Jacksonville....you never know what you're gonna get with this bunch....lots of nice wins over quality opponents but some inexplicable losses as well. We lost to South Carolina on our home floor but then turned around and blew them out on theirs. And SC is not that good. Almost got clipped by the worst team in the SEC, LSU, because we went to sleep in the 2nd half.

Obviously the outcome of the SEC Tourney will weigh heavily on the seeding, but right now, I'm thinking UF gets a 3 or a 4 seed and UK is probably looking at a 4 or a 5 - likely a 4. UK wins the SEC-T and it could move all the way up to a 2. UF's peripherals are good enough to get a boost up to a #2 with an SEC-T victory as well.

Disappointed in the outcome yesterday but I really did not expect a win at Rupp. One can never "expect" a win there. Excited about Tuesday....but if we manage to lose to that Bama team at home, a Bama team that has feasted on that weak SEC Western division, it has to be considered nothing more than an epic fail. Our only remaining game is on the road in that weird ass Vandy gym, a place were few teams play well.

Congrats on the big victory.

[Joseph]

Thanks TBL. Congrats to you crazy Gator fans on a really good season by Billy and the boys.

[Revering4Blue]

Who else believes that the Wildcat's road woes are overrated?

The convincing win over Notre Dame on a neutral floor should be evidence to the contrary.

They've also beaten Washington--no slouch--on a neutral floor.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Revering4Blue

Who else believes that the Wildcat's road woes are overrated?

The convincing win over Notre Dame on a neutral floor should be evidence to the contrary.

They've also beaten Washington--no slouch--on a neutral floor.

Notre Dame was not on a neutral floor. That was in Louisville, which gets painted blue anytime the Cardinals are not playing. Freedom Hall has even got a UK makeover right before the game.

Maui on the other hand is a testament to what I've been saying about UK for awhile. UK fans travel well, and the crowd helped in Maui. Once UK hits Atlanta for the SEC tournament and the NCAA, every game will pretty much become a home game.

What does scare me on the road is that UK doesn't play through the environment. There isn't a player on this years team who can step it up and take control of the game when it is on the road.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by TheBigLebowski

Obviously the outcome of the SEC Tourney will weigh heavily on the seeding, but right now, I'm thinking UF gets a 3 or a 4 seed and UK is probably looking at a 4 or a 5 - likely a 4. UK wins the SEC-T and it could move all the way up to a 2. UF's peripherals are good enough to get a boost up to a #2 with an SEC-T victory as well.
Congrats on the big victory.

I can't see any scenario where UK gets a no 2 seed. No 3 is possible (would have to win against Vandy, Tennessee, and win the SEC tournament convincingly for that to happen), but my guess is a 4 or 5 seed.

This years team could be one and done or make it to the Sweet Sixteen (or even Elite Eight) depending on the draw.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Notre Dame was not on a neutral floor. That was in Louisville, which gets painted blue anytime the Cardinals are not playing. Freedom Hall has even got a UK makeover right before the game.

Maui on the other hand is a testament to what I've been saying about UK for awhile. UK fans travel well, and the crowd helped in Maui. Once UK hits Atlanta for the SEC tournament and the NCAA, every game will pretty much become a home game.

What does scare me on the road is that UK doesn't play through the environment. There isn't a player on this years team who can step it up and take control of the game when it is on the road.

Uhh, you know UL doesn't play in FH anymore, right?

That blue UK floor is the permanent floor for FH now.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I can't see any scenario where UK gets a no 2 seed. No 3 is possible (would have to win against Vandy, Tennessee, and win the SEC tournament convincingly for that to happen), but my guess is a 4 or 5 seed.

This years team could be one and done or make it to the Sweet Sixteen (or even Elite Eight) depending on the draw.

I don't think the draw matters that much for this year's team, quite honestly. I mean, there's one seeds that I would prefer over other one seeds etc., but this team's success or failure is going to be reliant on their execution. When they are playing at their absolute best and firing on all cylinders, there isn't a team they can't beat on a neutral/home court. Like Cal said yesterday, last year's team would just maul you, this year's team must execute flawlessly.

[cincy jacket]

Originally Posted by Revering4Blue

Who else believes that the Wildcat's road woes are overrated?

The convincing win over Notre Dame on a neutral floor should be evidence to the contrary.

They've also beaten Washington--no slouch--on a neutral floor.

http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/web...n_or_kentucky/

Interesting article on teams having trouble on the road. I cannot figure out this year's team for the life of me. It wouldn't shock me to see a Friday exit in the SEC tournament followed by a first weekend NCAA tournament exit, and it wouldn't surprise me to see them win the SEC Tournament and make a run to the Final Four (not likely but certain plausible this season with the right draw).

I know it's been beaten to death already, but I can't help but imagine this team with Kanter. Having never seen him play outside of an exhibition game I can't help but imagine him being worth more than 1-2 points a game that we seem to lose every road game by. It's a shame.

[TheBigLebowski]

Originally Posted by Joseph

Thanks TBL. Congrats to you crazy Gator fans on a really good season by Billy and the boys.

Hah, thank you. We're not all crazy.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by WMR

Uhh, you know UL doesn't play in FH anymore, right?

That blue UK floor is the permanent floor for FH now.

I know that, I was referring to the Notre Dame game being on a neutral floor. It might not have been Rupp, but it was still in the state of Kentucky and UK had a decided advantage.

Originally Posted by WMR

I don't think the draw matters that much for this year's team, quite honestly. I mean, there's one seeds that I would prefer over other one seeds etc., but this team's success or failure is going to be reliant on their execution. When they are playing at their absolute best and firing on all cylinders, there isn't a team they can't beat on a neutral/home court. Like Cal said yesterday, last year's team would just maul you, this year's team must execute flawlessly.

The two one seeds that I don't want to face in a possible sweet sixteen game is Ohio State and Duke. Duke because it becomes 10 on 5 (players, zebras, and announcers), and Ohio State because they are top to bottom the most balanced team in college basketball.

I think we could hang with Pitt, Texas, Kansas, or even BYU if they somehow become a no 1 seed. BYU reminds me of Miami OH when Wally Sczerbiak was there. Shut down everybody else, let Jimmer Fredette get his points, and win the game convincingly.

[Scrap Irony]

Right now, the only teams Kentucky should be hesitant to face are Ohio State, Purdue, UNC, KU, and any team with a top-flight big man. Everyone else is about even, depending on draw, officiating, and venue.

I'd love to see a Duke/ UK match-up in the Sweet 16. It would be fun to watch, as the teams are remarkably similar in terms of how they play the game. (Outside-in, with questionable team basketball IQ, but talent across the starting five plus one.)

That said, I think Kentucky will be lucky to go past the round of 32. Youth showed this year, as it typically does.

If Kentucky goes West in the BYU (1)/San Diego State (2) Arizona/ UCLA (3) bracket, they might make a serious run. None of those guys has faced the pressure cooker that is March Madness as favorites. Kentucky faces that issue virtually every game and should be used to it.

[KYExtemper]

If past brackets are any indication, we'll be in the one with Duke. I'm not really concerned about the bracket, though. I figure we'll play where we play, although like other posters I readily admit that getting into BYU's bracket (or potentially Notre Dame's if they win the Big East Tourney) and we're the #4 or #5 wouldn't be bad at all.

[WVRed]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

I would pay to see UK in this bracket. St Johns does scare me somewhat, but BYU is the weakest link by far.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

Right now, the only teams Kentucky should be hesitant to face are Ohio State, Purdue, UNC, KU, and any team with a top-flight big man. Everyone else is about even, depending on draw, officiating, and venue.

I'd love to see a Duke/ UK match-up in the Sweet 16. It would be fun to watch, as the teams are remarkably similar in terms of how they play the game. (Outside-in, with questionable team basketball IQ, but talent across the starting five plus one.)

That said, I think Kentucky will be lucky to go past the round of 32. Youth showed this year, as it typically does.

If Kentucky goes West in the BYU (1)/San Diego State (2) Arizona/ UCLA (3) bracket, they might make a serious run. None of those guys has faced the pressure cooker that is March Madness as favorites. Kentucky faces that issue virtually every game and should be used to it.

I understand what you're saying there, because I think they make us fans and Cal want to pull our hair out at certain points... however, give credit where credit is due: UK is led by a freshman point guard and is first in the SEC in TOs per game and is TWENTIETH on that list nationwide.

You don't get those kinds of numbers with dumb/low IQ players playing pivotal roles on your team.

Now let's just get BK and DL to hang around for year number two...

[KYExtemper]

St. John's is a very scary team that I wouldn't want in my bracket. Steve Lavin is a solid coach and he's bringing respectability back to that program. I'm not convinced that BYU would survive a second round matchup with K-State in our half of the bracket either. However, if that's the bracket we drew that'd be the best thing that could happen to us.